Vapor electric apparatus.



No. 883,030 I I PATENTED MAR. 24, 1908. O. '0. KRUH.

' VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15, 1905. RENEWED JAN. 31, 1908.

X X X /2 Witness es: 2 7 //7 Van t or:

UNITED STATES PATENT orr cn.

osms 0. anon, or SCHENEOTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, a coarona'rrou or NEW, YoaK.

VAPOR ELECTRIC .APPARA'JTIJ'S.

Application filed September 15,

invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vapor Electric Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to vapor elec- 1o trio devices and more particularly to that type having a hi hly exhausted envelop provided with a p urality of positive electrodes or ano'des,such, for example as the rectiliers or lamps used on single-phase or multiphase alternating-current circuits In devices of this character, there is a tendency found to exist in practice for. arcs to form more or less momentarily between main anodes. The causes whichcontribute to the proillu'tion'of such arcs are various and it is one of the objects of my invention to over.

come as far as possible any tendency whichmay exist for such arcing to take place. 1

The various features of novelty which 525 characterize my invention are pointed out with particularity infthe appended claims. The inventionit'self; however, will be better understood by reference to the following do scription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which represent by way of illustration one of the various embodiments which my invention may assume in practice. l 4

While my invention is applicable to vapor electric devices adapted to alternating-current circuits of any number of phases, 1 have in the drawings represented a device arraug ci'l more especially for use with singleihase alternating current. The particular ll) cvicc clmscn'for illustration is a rectifier for single-phase alternutingwurrciit in which the "ii er tube itself is of a special construction pzmicularly fitted to prevent the arcing betwccn tho anodes. I may here say that by all the word anode Imean an electrode which serve as the positive tern'iinus of an electric arc iwh icli the currentfiows unidirectionally. The rectified tube shown in the drawings is so fashioned as'to direct the arc blast or dis- Specification or Letters Patent.

These pockets form receptac Patented March 24, 1908 1905, Serial No. 278,554. Renewed January 31, 1908. Serial No. 413,612.

as to shoot by or past the anodes. The:

'oanodes are thus in a great measure protected from the peculiar rays or other emanations from the cathode which I have found are a t to'cause arcing to take place between t e anodes.

Referring to the drawings, the rectifier tube hasa central member of any desiredv shape, in this case more or less globular, as indicated at 1. Arms or pockets 2 3 extend laterally from this globular portion and are bent upwardly at a slight an le as indicated. es for the main anodes 4 and. 5 of the rectlfiei'. These anodes may be made of artificial graphite or other suitable material and are connected res ctively to leading-in conductors 6 "and l These leading-in conductors where the project into the pockets or chambers 2 and 3 are protected by glass sleeves 8 and 9 which surround the leadin in conductors and flare over the ends of t e anodes as indicated.

From the lower portion of the bulb la tubular member 10 extends, the lower end of which is closed, and carries a .body of mercury 11, constituting the cathode or negative electrode. A leading-in conductor 12 makes electrical connection in the usual man-- nor with this cathode. Adjacent to the oathodethere is arranged a laterally and downwardly projecting chamber or pocket 13 carrying a body of mercury 14 constituting an auxiliary or starting electrode. Electrical connection with this electrode is made as in the case of the other electrodes by means of a leading-in conductor 15-.

Frointhe upper end of the globular ortion 1 of the rectifier tube there eXten s a relatively large tubular member 16 which to charge of luminous vapor from the cathode l the tube 17 may have one or more scallops or openings therein so as to permit any mercury which may fall down between the tube 17 vent the mercury globules as they flow back from the condensing chamber 16 from falling into the space outside of the tube 17 where they might by impact against the walls of the apparatus splashageinst the anodes, 1 form t e condensing chamber with a tapered or hopper shaped contraction 19 so asto direct the iallingparticlee of mercuryinto theniouth oi the tube 17. In. furtherance, also, of this end, the'mouth of the tube 17 may itself be flared somewhat as at 20 so as the more surely to intercept falling drops or globules of merll will be noticed thatthe tube 17 extends past themouths of the ockets or chambers 2 and 3 and thereby s ields the anodes in. these chambers from all those emanatio'ns from the cathode except those which serve as the current-carrying medium between the cathode and the respective anodes.

In normal operation, there is observed not only the arc streams which pass up through the tube or chinmey 17 and then bend down and pass to the anodes, but also a luminous blast or stream which. passes from the claim-- my 17 through the contraction 19 into the condenser chamber Where it is dispersed. There are certain emanations from the cathode stream from which. it is desirable that the anodes should be rotected, which emana tions may be sometiiin in the nature of nitroviolet rays. Though am not certain as to the exact nature of these rays, it is certain that there is some kind of a radiation or emanation which it the anodes should be directly exposed to it may cause arcing to take place between. them. This particular radistion is screened oil from the anodes by 1nal ing the tube 17 of a material to which the radiation is more or less impervious. Thus,

the tube 17 may be made (if glass, metal or other incombustible material but should not be made for example of lusedquartz which appears to. be more or less transparent to rays of the character mentioned.

The rectifier Which I have described may be connected in circuit in,a manner now well understood in. the art l have indicated these connections diagrammatically in the drawings. I

The supply mains are shown at 21 and 22 are connected by leads to the anodes ssspso' and 5 as indicated. The coils 23 and 24 of a through a resistance 28 to one of the supply.-.

mains-and serves, when the rectifier is shaken so as to bung the anodes of mercury 14 and 1 1 momentarily together, to constitute the anode of an auxiliary arc. This aruciliary are serves in a well understood manner to set the apparatus in operation, whereupon the auxiliary anode may be out out of circuit.

It is obvious from the fore oing description of myimproved rectifier an. of the functions of its-var1ous parts, that the rectifier may be greatly a tcred in shape and construction Without departing from the spirit of my iii-- vention, for which reason l, of course, do not Wish to be limited to the details shown and described.

The devices shown in this application are covered broadly by the claims in my applies. tion Serial No. 194,520 filed February 20, 1904, which is now involved in interferences. The present case is limited to the improve ments on the invention of said former application which are herein described an d claimed, and the claims herein are therefore not to be construed as covering anything disclosed in my said prior application.

What by Letters Patent. of the United States, is".

claim as new and desire to secure 1. In a va or electric a ,paratus, anv e35 haustedenve op having a 'urality of entities eachlocatedin aseparate c lumber, a cathode, and a tube confining the discharge from the cathode and extending past the openings into the chambers ccntainingthe anodes.

2. A vapor electric apparatus comprising an exhausted envelop having a lurality ol. anodes and a cathode, and a tuhu a1 member confining the discharge from the cathode.

3. in a vapor electric apparatus, an e:=:- haustedreceptacle havinga cathode and a plurality of anodes therein, a condensing chamber having a contracted opening, an means for directing the discharge or blast from the cathode towards said opening.

4. In a vapor electric apparatus, an err-- haustcd envelop or receptacle having a cathode. and a plurality of anodes located therein, and a tube for cs1 ring the blast or discharge from the cathode past the anodes.

5. In a vapor electric apparatus, the com bination of an envelop or receptacle having a plurality of proiectmg arms or chambers, electrodes in said arms or chambers, a vaporixable electrode located also in said envelop,

72101) or receptacle having a plurality of mui means for causing; the are or discharge confining tube or member subtending the from. mid vaporiza bie Mammals; to M pmjmted past the openings inn) said arms or z in wituvsr; whereof, I have hereunto set milalmim's, my mm this 14th day of September, 1905.

In avapor electric apparatus, am. -n- ()Sli- S O. KRUH.

Wi'tnssws: chambers, mlodes lomted respectwely in said 1 BEEKJAAHN B. HULL, chambers, a copemmng cathnde, and an avrci'LELEN URFORD.

openings intu said chambers. 1 r 

